Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hi, I'm looking for relocation advice please! I'm a 30, newly divorced professional woman looking to relocate to Albuquerque from Missoula, MT. I love NM climate and culture; however, coming from a town of about 60,000 with amazing outdoor opportunities right out my door, I'm concerned that Abq will feel too big. Is it easy to get outside and recreate, especially without having to drive (or drive very far)? I'm a trail runner and mountain biker. Is Abq a welcoming place for someone like me: young, liberal, single, working professional? Is it fairly easy to make friends with like-minded people? I'm not huge on the bar/party scene, but I appreciate live music, good restaurants and cultural events. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you!
For almost all of those same reasons, we are strongly considering moving there ourselves. We visit there often and find it to be an incredibly diverse, open minded, active population with quick access to mountain running/hiking/biking trails not to mention skiing!
HowellMorgan...for some of the reasons you mentioned, I chose to live right up against the Sandia Mountains when I moved here 20+ years ago. From my house...I can walk right out the door and up to a nearby trail head in 5 minutes. Then...I have options of which trail I want to take that day. This is true for hiking, running and mountain biking...and I do all three (not at the same time!). I'm not sure about the social scene. I've been married longer than you've been alive, and, as my wife reminds me, I'm a social stick in the mud.
The Foothills would be a perfect area for you. There is a jogging trail which runs up Tramway, you could also go on the trails which would be practically in your back yard to ride, run or hike. If you fancied a change you could drive down to just north of Old Town and ride the trails there too.
I don't miss the winters in the Twin Cities one iota. I suspect you'll learn to do without the snow, slush, sleet etc. in Missoula.
I'm in the minority in New Mexico...I voted Republican but last election I registered here as an Independent. You should check out www.alibi.com (our local weekly alternative paper) as it caters to liberal young professionals and UNM students and the arts scene. You will probably find a lot there to interest you.
Albuquerque is like no other place you've ever been. Forget cookie-cutter cities. This town has culture, good vibes, excellent dining, history, architecture, ambience...and a river runs through it. Yet it's only about 3/4 of a million people in the metro. Santa Fe is close with arts, more arts, and arts, as is Taos. Albuquerque is growing but not at the frantic pace other places are. To top it off it is incredibly easy to get around and learn streets, etc.
(PSSST: This info is CONFIDENTIAL FOR YOUR EYES ONLY. PLEASE DO NOT DISTRIBUTE THIS INFO TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY!!! )
Thanks so much for your responses so far. I really appreciate your feedback! I'm a little overwhelmed with leaving my hometown, so it's great to have some local opinion weighing in on how good a fit Albuquerque is for me. Do any of you have recommendations for good neighborhoods to live in? I love urban living - being able to walk to restaurants, stores, etc. - but I value the ability to go running & biking right from my door even more. I'll be attending graduate school at NMHU, so somewhere near there would be ideal. I'll likely be renting at first. Thanks in advance for your advice!
I love urban living - being able to walk to restaurants, stores, etc. - but I value the ability to go running & biking right from my door even more. I'll be attending graduate school at NMHU, so somewhere near there would be ideal. I'll likely be renting at first. Thanks in advance for your advice!
Then you will have to make a choice.
The walkable, entertainment/restaurant-rich neighborhoods are a 10-30 minute drive from various parts of the mountains while being walking distance to the University.
Or, you could live in the foothills and be able to access the mountains by a very short drive (or possibly no drive if you are lucky/rich enough) but have to drive 10-30 minutes everyday to get to campus, work, Nob Hill/Downtown, etc.
Good luck in your decision.
ABQConvict
*EDIT* I just realized you said NMHU, not UNM. I'm not sure where their Albuquerque campus is located so my advice may not apply :-)
Your neighborhood advice is very helpful! NMHU is near UNM. I'll have to weigh which lifestyle is more appealing once I'm there looking for a place. Thanks again!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
)
